In Front of Storm
by kirr1001
Summary: "Shining hair, predator's eyes and ears, green covered in red." Kagome met one of those creatures when she was just a little girl.But if they are really monsters, then why this one didn't kill her? Can they feel compassion, can they feel...love? AU
1. They are no humans

**Part of this idea came to my head when I watched _Avatar_. This is just outset, there's coming a lot more.**

**Sorry for my bad english 'n hope u'll enjoy. 'N please guys, review...**

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_"Please tell us another myth, Orochi-sama!" said a boy with blonde hair._

_"Oh hai, please!" begged others excited children around the fire. The man who had deep black hair and beard, chuckled, his blue tired but wise eyes twinkling. When children's demanding turned nearly shouting, he simply raised his hand and as if by magic everyone fell silent again, waiting village's storyteller to start._

_"Very well", he said and stood up. He glanced around the double page and then noticed a tree. He walked to it then reached out and snapped one of it's branch which was full of leaves. He turned back to children. All of them watched him closely, eyes blinking curiously. He walked to them._

_"Do you", he started and held up the branch. "know what is this?"_

_"A branch of course", said one boy._

_"Hai", Orochi nodded. "But the color is important. What is color of the leaves?"_

_"Green", said girl with soft voice._

_"That's right. What does it mean?" he asked narrowing his eyes. "What does color green mean?"_

_Children looked him puzzled. Then one hand rose._

_"Hai?" asked Orochi, now looking at girl who had short black hair and big brown eyes, wearing yellow kimono._

_"Life", girl said. "Green symbolises life."_

_"Very good, very good", storyteller said and then looked one girl who had lingonberries collected on her lap._

_"May I take these?" he asked and girl nodded. He took fistful, nearly all of them. Then he raised his hand and crushed them inside his fist, red liquid dripping down his arm._

_"Now tell me, little girl", he said looking back to girl who had rose her hand and opened his palm. "What this color symbolises?"_

_Girl looked carefully storyteller's red hand._

_"I don't remember. Onesan didn't tell me", she shook her head._

_"Never mind", he smiled kindly to girl and then rose his hand once again. "This color symbolises violence. Fear. All those things that you should not encounter."_

_Orochi lowered his hand. "This what I now tell you, it is not myth. It is not story, it is not joke. It is cruel truth what you have to understand even if you are so young now."_

_Children glanced each other confused and then continued listening intensively. Orochi sat down and eyed them._

_"This village has been my home since I was born. Like all of you, I played here, learned how to read, how to write, how to speak, how to live with people in peace and honor life. We humans have feelings, compassion and conscience. We know how to tell merry stories and how to laugh a laughter that comes from our heart", with that he placed his hand over his heart. He looked children and they did the same, feeling their hearts beating inside of them. Storyteller watched them, smiling calmly but then his face turned serious and he stoop up. Children took their hands away from their chest and eyed him intensively._

_"But life is not that everywhere. There", he touched the branch in his left arm with his right and tarnished it's leaves with red liquid. "is no life, no peace. Green is blurred in red, everyday is full of fear, brutality. That world... doesn't know the word 'mercy'"_

_He glanced the children. Their eyes were wide, almost fearful. Except one girl's who had black hair and brown eyes. Her eyes were curious._

_Orochi started walk around the fire, children's eyes following him._

_"They are no humans", he shook his head, putting down the branch and rubbed red color on both of his hands. "There hands are covered in blood. Animals blood, humans blood, even their own. They have longer nails than us, claws. Their teeth are sharp enough to cut your throat open."_

_Children gasped._

_"And their eyes. When you saw them, you know you can not do anything to save yourself", storyteller said and stopped walking. "Red. Black. Yellow. Do hope that you will never see those eyes."_

_One girl grabbed boy's hand in fear, nearly in tears._

_"They are no humans", Orochi repeated. "Predators."_

_He started walk again, gesturing with his arms. "You can not run away from them, they are ten time faster than you. You can not climb to the trees, they can jump on it's top. And you can not hide because they will smell and **hear **you."_

_He stopped again, children looking him with great fear and horror._

_"They do not have our week, human ears. They have animal's ears. Predator's ears", he finished and silence fell around the fire, only voice children's heavy breathing._

_"Cool", said one voice and all faces turned to it's owner. The black-haired girl's brown eyes were full of curiosity and interest. _

_Storyteller looked her with myriad expression and came towards her. Girl's eyes turned doubtful, like she wasn't sure if she had said something wrong. Orochi bent down so that his face was close to her own, his blue eyes drilling to her brown ones. "It is not 'cool', young Kagome. You have to listen me very carefully now. Do not ever, **ever **wish that you would meet them. **They are no humans**."_

_Girl's eyes held now confusion, something that Orochi couldn't understand and he stood up again. "Now I think it is my time to stop. Sleep tight."_

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* * *

_

"Kagome! Kagome!"

Fire was everywhere. People screamed, ran and cried. Twelve years old girl, who wore red-white miko outfit, her black long hair tied, ran hastily around the her village which had turned into nightmare.

"Kagome!" she shouted but all she could hear was people screaming. "Ka-"

"Young Kikyo!"

Girl turned around and saw a woman who had same kimono and was running towards her.

"Kaede-sama!" Kikyo cried and ran to her.

"Young Kikyo, what on earth are you doing here?" Kaede asked, touching girl's slightly shabby face because of the smoke. "You have to run safety place immediately, it is dangerous out here."

"No, I can't leave without Kagome."

"Kagome?" asked Kaede and then placed her hands on Kikyo's shoulders. "Where is your sister?"

"I don't know. She was playing with Kin-chan and Manami-chan and their parents have found them, but I can't find her!" Kikyo said, nearly in panic what was not like her.

"Calm down child. I'm sure she-" but Kaede cut herself when she glanced over Kikyo's shoulder. From the woods came fear.

There was five of them. They wore dark kimonos and walked calmly ignoring the fire what was all around the village. They looked just dark figures but then Kaede noticed one of them's hair. It was very long and shined crimson. Kaede's eyes widened and fear washed over her.

"Young Kikyo, we have to run, now!" she yelled, grabbed girl's arm and started running. She didn't even dare to look behind her. People screamed even louder and ran in panic, out of the village.

"No!" Kikyo yelled and snaked her arm away from woman's grasp. "I won't leave without Kagome!"

Then she turned and ran.

"Young Kikyo, no don't!" Kaede yelled and then noticed man who had short hair and moustache, running near the girl.

"Takehiko-san!" she yelled and man stopped running, looking at her. "Do not let young Kikyo run away!"

The man understand immediately and saw Kikyo running towards him. Girl didn't even have time to blink when she was suddenly lifted to man's shoulder. Takehiko ran forward, following Kaede out of the village.

"No, let me go! **No**! My sister's in there!" Kikyo kicked and hit but man held her firmly. She looked the village and saw dark figures clearly, lashing screaming people, their hairs shining, so much blood, triangular ears...

"Please let me go!" she shouted, now desperate. "She's only six years old! Please! Kagome!"

But man didn't listen.

* * *

She couldn't move.

Her face was against her knees, her bare legs contusion because her running. She didn't even remember when or where she had lost her sandals, all she could remember was shouting, fire, smoke...

Kagome raised her head, coughing and looked around. She was behind Eiji-san's hut but fire was very close and screaming people. Her face was dirty and her green kimono ripped from the hem.

Then she heard deafening child's scream and sank her face to her hands. Tears rolled down when she realized that it might had been someone of her friends.

_Onesan... Where are you? Have you forgot me?_, she thought sobbing, remembering her beautiful, calm sister. Her only family.

Suddenly she heard footsteps on the grass. Someone was coming towards her.

_Onesan! _she thought and raised her head. It wasn't her sister.

In front her was tall young man, wearing crimson kimono. His hair was white, shining like silver. And... yellow eyes and white dog ears.

She gasped loudly but not from fear. _It's really true..._

"What the fuck are you looking at?" growled man, revealing his sharp fangs.

"I-I..." she tried to find her voice and was now trembling.

"Keh. Oh poor piece of shit", he said wryly and suddenly bent down and scratched her dirty cheek, drawing blood.

"Ah!" Kagome cried and heard man's bitter snort.

"Are you ready to die?" he asked. Kagome shook now with fear and new tears came to her eyes. She didn't want to die.

"O-Orochi-sama was right", she sobbed looking at the man, believing now that he truly was a monster. "You really are not human."

Something in his eyes changed.

"I would never want to be someone like you, you fucking hear me?" he shouted, raising his hand like he would slash her. Kagome clasped her eyes shut.

"I wanna live", she whispered.

"Nani?" he yelled to her ear and Kagome flinched.

"I said I wanna live!" she yelled back now looking at him afraid but with intent eyes. He looked confused because her sudden courage to yell at him.

"I wanna live..." she sobbed, closing her eyes once more. "I don't wanna die. I wanna see my onesan and play with my friends... Please... Let me li-live..."

There was silent for a moment. The only sound was her heartbreaking sob.

Suddenly she felt something warm on her cheek and she opened her eyes. The man had caught one of her tears with his clawed finger and licked it away. Kagome looked in his eyes. They didn't look evil, not even so scary. They were full of intensiveness.

Without a word, man turned around and was about to leave.

Kagome didn't know why she did it. All she could think was that he didn't kill her and just maybe he wasn't so bad after all. So she asked: "Hey, what is your name?"

He stopped and looked her. He was growling, his eyes narrowed. Faster than human wind, he hit her on back of her neck and she pass out.


	2. Is this my fate?

10 years later

"What is this herb, Kikyo-sama?" asked brown-haired girl. Young miko eyed the plant for a moment.

"It is called Shilaji, young Reika", Kikyo said.

"What about this?" asked the other girl.

"Girls, girls. I promised to your mothers that I would bring you back to home by dinner."

"Oh not yet!" three girl said in unison. Kikyo smiled.

After a while they walked along the path which leaded to village. The girls chattered avidly to Kikyo.

"And my mama said that you're the most powerful miko ever in our village!"

"And papa told how you saved my uncle five years ago!"

"That is my responsibility", Kikyo said. "I am glad that I could help."

"I wanna be miko too when I'm big!" said blond-haired girl.

"Me too! Can you teach us?"

Kikyo looked the girls and smiled. "Of course."

Girls cried happily and ran to village, Kikyo following them.

It was just ordinary day. Everybody had they chores and responsibility. Life was peaceful in their home and Kikyo was glad for that.

"Good afternoon, Kikyo-sama."

"Nice to see you are back, Kikyo-sama."

"Hello Kikyo-sama."

All people in the village knew her, of course, she was their great miko who could heal any illness and sorrow. Kikyo greeted them with small nod and walked around, looking for one, particular person.

_Where is she again? She was supposed to help Daiki-san with his vegetables... _she thought when she saw old man, carrying his baskets alone.

"Daiki-san?" she said and man turned around.

"Oh Kikyo-sama! How was in the meadow?" he asked kindly and ruffled his grey hair.

"Very good, arigato. Do you know where is my sister? Was she even here helping you?"

"Kagome-san? Hai, of course! And she helped me very much, so young and strong unlike me..." he said and then glanced Kikyo with amused eyes. "But oh my, that girl is impatient. I do not mean anything bad, she helped me but acted like she had something else to do. Therefore I let her go, I said that I could carry rest of these to warehouse by myself. She refused but I convinced her that I am not so old as I look."

"Where did she go?"

"I think she went towards the forest."

Kikyo let out an annoyed sigh. _Why can not she listen to me? _"Arigato for your help, Daiki-san."

"Kikyo-sama", man said when Kikyo was about to go after her sister. "I know that you are worried about your sister but... After what happened ten years ago, everything has been quiet and peaceful. Those things would have came by now if they would be somewhere close."

"I know", Kikyo replied. "But I can not take a risk that something would happen to Kagome again."

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Sixteen years old girl raised her bow and narrowed her brown eyes intently, her black hair and blue kimono swaying in wind. For a moment she stared farther at tree and then released her arrow.

It flied right on the ground.

"Ah!" she cried vexed. Then she sighed and walked to arrow, lifting it from ground.

"Why can't you just hit?" she asked from it and put it back to her bag where was more arrows. She had draw little sign with her knife in the tree's bark where she had targeted her arrow.

Kikyo was the one who knew how to handle the bow. No, not just handle; she was excellent. When Kagome had been little, she had often watched mesmerized when her sister in such a young age had learnt use bow, almost never missing. Kaede-sama had praised that Kikyo was a natural talent.

But she was Kagome. And she wasn't going to give up.

After a while, when sun was going down and sky turned reddish, Kagome knew she had to get back to village.

_Nice man that Daiki-san_, she thought, smiling little tiredly. _I hope he didn't hurt his back or anything with those baskets._

When she came to village, it was pretty quiet. Only few man were sitting on the bench, talking and drinking. Everyone else were probably in their huts, eating dinner or preparing to sleep. Kagome yawned and walked to her and Kikyo's hut. It was quite small and neither of them really whiled away there but it was comfy enough to sleep and eat.

Inside of the hut was Kikyo sitting near the fire. There was stew and two bowls too. Kikyo raised her head when she heard matdoor's rustle and their brown eyes locked.

"Hi", Kagome said carefully. Kikyo's face was blank.

"Come to eat."

Kagome obeyed and sat near her, taking her bowl. There was moment's silence and Kagome almost thought that Kikyo wouldn't say anything about her 'escape'.

"You know I do not like when you go far away from the village", Kikyo said. Her voice was firm but didn't sound angry. But Kagome knew her sister.

"I wanted to practise with bow", Kagome said quietly, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"Practise with bow? You do not have to go so far away because of that!"

"I wanted to be alone!" Kagome said firmly and placed the bowl back to floor.

"This is not about your want! It is dangerous!" Kikyo said.

"But I'm sixteen years old, onesan!" Kagome said and stood up, her eyes begging Kikyo to understand. "Other women go there too and they're younger than me."

"Kagome, it is not the same thing."

"But how isn't?" she pleaded and took Kikyo's hand in her own. "Please. I know that you're worried about me, I really know. But I want practise somewhere alone so I can focus on and the forest is perfect place for that. There is so calm and quiet, no way there could happen anything. And if I'll learn use bow I can defend myself better. You would want that for me too, ne?"

Kikyo watched her sister's face. _Gomen, Kagome. I can not. I can not let anything happen to you again. But you can not remember either. So you will just have to understand. _"No. I have told you that you can not go to forest and I am not going back on my words."

Hope in Kagome's eyes disappeared and she let go of her sister's hand.

"This was already second time when you went to forest", Kikyo said calmly, not looking at her. Kagome's gaze was on the floor. "Therefore if you go there again, I can not let you out of the village again."

Kagome's head rose quickly and she looked her sister's determined eyes. To her they looked cold. Like her face. Like her heart. Tears formed in young woman's eyes and she run outside.

"Kagome!" Kikyo cried.

"Don't worry", she spat, turning around. "I'm not going to forest! I'll stay in prison just like you want!"

With that she was gone.

Kikyo felt her heart break when Kagome's hapless face memorized to her mind. She knew her sister so well; she was free soul, wild, passionate and lively. And now her spirit was chained cruelly. But she had no other choice. She would protect her little sister, no matter what.

* * *

Kagome cried freely now. Heavy, wet tears ran down her pale cheeks. She had ran out of the village what had begun to feel like coalhole, to meadow. The air was slightly cool, wind swayed her hair and the sky was almost dark.

_Why? _she thought when she sat there, her face against her knees. _Why she wants to make me unhappy?_

Since she had been six, Kikyo had always worried too much for her, tried to keep her safe. But she wasn't the only one back then. Kagome had heard that one night some warriors had attacked to village, killing many people and destroying almost every hut. So that was the reason why parents didn't let their children go anywhere alone for almost year. But when everyone were sure that danger was past, Kagome had to watch when other children ran to meadow to play and she stayed home under her sister's gaze.

Kikyo didn't know what it was like. To be prisoner. To be great Kikyo-sama's sister. She couldn't use bow, she couldn't heal people or recognize herbs. All she could do was cook. She wasn't nothing compared to Kikyo. Basically Kikyo was miko already when she was fourteen. And Kagome knew that she could never be miko, maybe she even didn't want to.

And now when Kikyo had took her freedom, she took her change to learn use bow.

Kagome didn't hate her. No, she never could, especially when she knew that she did all that because she wanted her to be save. But she was sad. So very sad.

Kagome lifted her head and looked at the gray sky. _Is this really my fate?_

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_

**Please review ^^**


	3. Something very sharp and powerful

It wasn't really sunny day. Clouds were a little dark and any bright wasn't seen. Kagome knew it was going to rain today.

"Here you go, Ineko-san", Kagome said and gave folded laundries to brown-haired woman. "I hope that helped you."

"Hai hai. Arigato for your help, Kagome-san", she answered, putting laundries to her basket. "It is a shame that you have to waste your time because me. But there is so much to do and I wanted my laundries out of the rain."

"Don't worry, I understand. It's everyone's responsibility to help each others", Kagome said smiling.

When Kagome had helped her, she started walk around the village like everyday, just wandering. She saw little boys play with few dogs, girls were probably helping their mothers inside their huts or with Kikyo outside of the village.

_Onesan... _

They hadn't spoke to each others anything that day. Kagome was still bitter and would probably always be if this this would go on. And Kikyo hadn't pushed her. She had every right to be angry.

Kagome walked to their small hut, shook her blue kimono a little and stepped in.

_Well maybe I can clean a bit_, she thought but then she glanced water bucket on the floor. _Or I could go to river and get more water._

She sighed, took the bucket and went back to outside. When her life had become so... humdrum? Not that she complained. Life in village was peaceful, good and lovely. But sometimes she wished something more.

The small river was quite near the forest and it lead in it. She knelt down on river bank and took bucketful bright water. Somehow her mood only darkened and she threw water at her face.

_Come on, Kagome. What are you sulking about?_

While she rubbed her now wet face she suddenly heard a noise. Like dragging footsteps. Kagome turned her head to right and her eyes widened. Along the river bank staggered middle-aged man who wore dark, worn out pants and tattered shirt. Kagome could have thought that he was just some man from other village. But his face was bloody, his stomach cut and right arm nearly loose.

"Nani..." she breathed horrified and ran as fast as she could to the man.

"Wha-what happened?" she asked touching his left shoulder. His green eyes looked hazy and he was trying to say something to her but just couldn't get his words out. "What-"

"Don't..." he said in raspy voice and Kagome nearly cried when she noticed that blood was coming from man's mouth too.

"Please, you have to lay down now", she said now in panic but the man was stubborn and tried to say more.

"Don't let them hurt anymore", he whispered, his eyes so desperate that it confused Kagome. Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground.

"Oh kami-sama!" Kagome cried and kneeled beside him, shaking his shoulder carefully, not wanting to hurt him or make him bleed more but still firmly. "Please wake up! Sir!"

But he didn't wake. He was unconscious.

_What should I do? What should I do?_, she thought, breathing rapidly and looked around trying to find something what could help her. _I can't leave him alone. Bleeding! I have to stop the bleeding._

Without thinking more she teared her kimono's hem, turned the man so that his back was against the ground and bandaged his arm as well as she could. But she knew it wouldn't help. He would lost his right arm. Kagome shook her head; now wasn't the time to pity him. She had to bandage his stomach too.

_But wait a minute. Isn't there a herb which can help to stop the bleeding?_, she remembered and looked her bloody hands then the man. There was big blood puddle around him on the ground. If she could find that herb he could make it.

"Please hang on", she whispered then got up and started search for it from near. She remembered some details of it. Her heart drummed against her ribs and her temple was wet from cold sweat. She had to find it. She had to! Then her gaze fell to really tiny herb which had blue flower and it looked just the right one. She thought for a moment, then grabbed it and ran back to the man. Quickly she pressed the herb against the wound on his stomach, then teared her hem again and bandaged. When she was ready she looked his arm. Blue piece of her kimono which was wrapped around it, had turned red from the blood. For last time Kagome teared her hem so that it was now above her knees and bandaged his arm again. Then suddenly the man started move. His eyes weren't open but his body shook and juddered violently, blood flowing from his mouth.

_Oh no..._

Kagome tried to hold his head so he wouldn't hurt it. That was all she could do, she was hopeless.

"Help!" she screamed when man didn't stop juddering. "Please, somebody help me! Help!"

When she thought she would start crying like a helpless baby, she heard something.

"Kagome!"

Kagome raised her head and looked left. It was her sister. Kikyo was running so fast as she could, her black straight hair swaying in the wind. There was four children who ran behind her.

"Onesan!" Kagome cried, their fight long forgotten. She was so happy and relieved to saw her. Soon Kikyo was beside the man and Kagome.

"How long he has been juddering?" Kikyo asked from her, eyes sharp.

"Um, so long that I don't think it's normal", she answered.

"Then we have to wait. Girls, go get help!" she said to children and immediately they started run back home. "Kagome, hold his tongue."

"Eh?"

"Hold his tongue! Or else he'll bit it off", Kikyo ordered and grabbed the man by his left shoulder and right side, carefull not to touch his other arm.

"H-hai", she said, cursing herself from being so slow and put her two finger inside the man's bloody mouth and grabbed his tongue. It was slippery but stayed in her grasp.

"You did good job, Kagome", Kikyo said while held the man. Kagome laughed unhappily.

"I tried."

"I still do not understand why he is juddering", Kikyo muttered and watched the man, hoping he would get help soon. She couldn't help him a lot when she didn't have her proper equipment but she could ease his pain. Kikyo closed her eyes and focused all her powers to help the man.

Kagome watched while her sister started glow lightly pink, looking like saving angel. Man didn't stop his juddering but it wasn't so strong anymore.

_All I could do was just bandage him and find one herb_, she thought bitterly. _I'm worthless._

Then her eyes widened. She knew why he was juddering and shaking so much. Without a word she grabbed the bandages on man's stomach with her left arm and teared them apart. Kikyo noticed what she was doing and stopped glowing.

"Kagome! What are you-" but she trailed off when her little sister grabbed herb from his stomach and threw it away. Then she took bloody bandages and pressed them back against his stomach, Kikyo looking her frowning. "Kagome what was that?"

"Herb", she breathed. "I thought that it was the one which could block the bleeding but because of it he started juddering."

_And now he might have inflammation_, Kikyo added in her thoughts.

_If this man dies_, Kagome thought, her eyes coming teary. _it's my fault._

_

* * *

_

Night had come. Kagome sat on the grass, her back against the hut's wall where injured man was. He really had been near the death mostly because of her, Kikyo didn't need to tell that. She knew it too well by herself.

Again she leaned her ear against the wall, listening what those men spoke about inside the hut. There were in high station in the village.

"Where is Kikyo-sama?" asked Kento.

"She said she would be back soon. She wanted to talk to Hiromi-san."

"I trust Kikyo-sama", said Torai. "With everything I have. Without her this village would not be what it is today. But still... I think she protects Kagome-san too dearly."

Kagome's eyes turned painful from what she heard.

"Hai. This poor man could have died today because of her."

"Even my daughter knows what Agrimony looks like", sighed Shun.

"Unfortunately I think that all Kagome-san can ever do is help others with their chores", ended Torai their conversation. The hut fell silent and men stared stranger whose body had been bandaged almost everywhere. He was still unconscious but alive. Then Kikyo stepped inside, her face tired and miko outfit stained in dry blood.

"Oh Kikyo-sama!" said Kento and she nodded to men for greeting.

"I see that you want to talk to me", she said, her voice calm.

"Hai", Shun nodded, stroking his smal gray beard. "We are thinking who could have cause this."

"Well", Kikyo said and knelt beside the man who lay on the sleeping mat. "his wounds are very serious. Something very sharp and powerful has done them."

"Animal?" asked Kento frowning.

"Probably", answered Shun.

"What is your opinion, Torai-san?" asked Kikyo from bald man who had been quiet for a while. He was the oldest of them.

"I am thinking of Orochi-san", he said.

"Orochi-san?" repeated Shun confused.

"The storyteller Orochi-san?" asked Kento.

Torai nodded. "**They are no humans**", he whispered, repeating storyteller's words.

Kikyo's eyes widened, horror in her face.

* * *

**Can u believe it? There really is a herb named Agrimony which is used to bleeding wounds! Fucking amazing! xD**

**U wanna spoiler? Inuyasha will be in next chapter! ^^ I'll try to write it when I can, I promise.**

**Please review.**

**onesan=big sister**

**hai=yes**

**arigato=thank u**

**nani=what**

**kami-sama=god**


	4. Why did you come back?

Kagome hadn't heard that. Because before Kikyo had arrived, she had run to their hut, took her bow and arrows and ran.

The forest was dark and quiet. Kagome really didn't know where she was going. Her kimono was still teared and the chill night wind touched her bare shins. Tears fell down her cheeks.

_No! No, I refuse to be worthless! No, no!_, she thought when she ran blindly. She felt so alone and useless and not for the first time in her life. She couldn't do anything by herself not even help a injured man. Kikyo wouldn't never understand that; she could do something, save people, teach others, everyone loved and needed her. Kagome was just burden.

She ran so long that her legs ached but she didn't care. The forest started to get blurry when tears filled her eyes and she violently tried to wipe them off. That caused her fell.

"Ah!" she cried and her face hit the muddy ground. When she raised her head, she sat up and looked her now dirty kimono and hands. For a while she just looked them, first raindrops hitting her head. Then the determination returned to her brown eyes. She would not give up. Kagome grabbed her bow and arrows from the ground and stood up. She wiped the mud from her face with her sleeve (which not quite helped) and began to walk.

_I don't care what onesan says or if it takes the whole night, I will learn to use bow. I have to learn something_, she thought and almost smiled confident, not even remembering that the injured man had came from that forest.

Now it was raining fully but it didn't mind Kagome. She walked around the forest not knowing really knowing were she was..

_Well now I just have to find the right tr- _

But then she stopped. There not far away from her was the biggest tree she had ever seen. It was higher than others around it and it's foots were huge. It was beautiful.

_I have never seen it before_, she thought amazed. _Maybe I'm deeper in the forest as thought._

That would had been great tree for practicing but Kagome really didn't want to spoil it's long trunk. But then she looked more closely. There was a scar on it. Being a curious girl, Kagome frowned and walked to the tree. The trunk was dark brown but in the middle was spot which was lighter. Carefully she clambered upon the foots and touched the spot. What could have cause it? Something big animal? But before she could think it more something caught her eye. Small shine.

"What is that?" she asked from no one and narrowed her eyes. On the spot was tiny hole. So little that even her pinkie would had not fit in there. And in it was something what glowed. Even though she had no idea what she would find, she took one of her arrows and started dig the hole with it. She didn't have time to dig it even ten seconds when the glowing suddenly strengthened. Startled she gasped and stopped. It wasn't just a dim shine anymore.

There was a huge, blinding light and Kagome covered her eyes.

Then... she was falling. All she could think of was that she was falling. She didn't know where, she couldn't see anything, just white light everywhere around her. She screamed like she had never before. She screamed, flailed and fall. And suddenly it all went black.

* * *

"Daaammiiit. Why can't those boars just run to us?"

"Koga. Shut up."

"Fine. Whatever."

Inuyasha was too irritated to say anything. Some days he could be in front of the group assertive and yell everybody who'd fuck with him even in their thoughts. And some days he was just so crusty that he couldn't stand do even that. Like today. Today he just followed them behind, his dear brother of course leading in front.

Sesshomaru stopped suddenly and raised his hand. "Quiet."

The others including Inuyasha stopped too and obeyed. Inuyasha sniffed quietly.

_Horse...?_

"Get down, now", Sesshomaru said calmly. Others went down and Inuyasha too after he had rolled his eyes.

_Ordering like some boss. Keh, in his fucking dreams._

Luckily for them, the grass was long and thick and covered them well. There was steps, sounding like hoofs. But now Inuyasha could smell that it wasn't a horse. Bushes rustle was heard and behind the trees came white, pure creature which had horn on top of it's head. Unicorn.

The air was so charged that it's could have cut.

_Fuck..._, Inuyasha thought and his stomach cramped almost painfully. When he glanced beside him, he saw Jinya lick his lips hungrily. Inuyasha dig his sharp claws in ground, focusing his gaze, all his senses to unicorn. He could almost feel it's heavenly tasted flesh in his mouth.

"I'll get it", whispered Koga in raspy voice. His black eyes glimmered dangerously.

"Bullshit", Jinya whispered. "It's going to need all of us."

"Yes", said Sesshomaru quietly. "Hurry, let's move."

They started crawl as quietly as they could, needing to get just little closer before the attack. Unicorn didn't anticipate anything and sniffed the grass and flowers serenely. They could have got it**. Could have**.

"Shit", Tomoki whispered loudly and started wriggle on the ground. That was enough. Unicorn raised it's head and even thought it couldn't quite see them, it got scared and ran away.

"Fuck!" Koga yelled, stood up and ran after it.

"Koga, damn baka you can't get it alone!" Jinya shouted but the black-haired dog demon didn't listen and disappeared.

"Leave it, Jinya. Let him be baka", Sesshomaru said calmly like always. They all stood up from the ground. Inuyasha was now more irate and his growling stomach didn't help it.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, baka? !" he shouted to younger demon who had blood red long hair and yellow eyes. "There goes my dinner, **our **damn dinner and it's your fault!"

"Gomen... I just... I got thistle in my hand and-" he tried to show his bleeding hand.

"If it depends of me you can loose that hand soon", growled Jinya, baring his fangs.

"Stop", Sesshomaru intervened, coming in front of Tomoki. "He'll get what he deserves when where back."

Then he glanced at young demon and narrowed his eyes. Tomoki gulped.

"You don't say what I have to do", Inuyasha glared his big brother. Then he turned and started walk away from them.

"I'll find something my own!" Inuyasha yelled to them and ran. Sesshomaru just snorted.

"Still what a brat."

Inuyasha ran a well distance away from them.

Finally_ alone_, he thought when he stopped. It was cool night and he could see few fireflies around the trees above. Inuyasha could never admit it to no one but he loved the nights like these. Cool and peaceful. And full of lucious pray. He closed his eyes and sniffed then sighed. Air smelled fresh. But... there was something more. He opened his yellow eyes again, took step forward and sniffed again more closely. Inuyasha's eyes widened and growl escaped from his throat. Human.

He took another snif. Then he ran as fast as he could towards the smell.

_Who human dares come here again? I'm going to rip it's fucking heart off._

But when he started come close, he noticed that it wasn't ordinary human's smell. It smelled... familiar.

_Yeah right. There's no damn human who I'd know. Well all I know are now dead-_

But then it came to him. He remembered who owned that scent. He ran faster.

Finally he came to Sacred Tree, the biggest tree in the whole forest. The tree which connected their world to human's. The scent was now strongest. He didn't have to look around he saw it immediately; that girl's figure lying on the ground. The only human whose life he had ever saved.

He stared at her, disgust in his face. Her long black hair was muddy like her face, clothing, foot and hands. Smell of blood came from her but he could tell that it was not her own. He remembered her big brown teary eyes which were now closed. She was unconscious. It was now, what? Ten years ago? Still her remembered it all like yesterday when he recognized her scent now; her scared and pathetic face.

"Fucking human", he spat and stepped beside her. Then he kicked her on the rib. "Oi."

And again. "Oi!"

But the girl stayed unconscious. He gave an irritated sigh, knelt and flipped her temple hardly. "You should open your damn eyes one last time before I'll eat them!"

Inuyasha could have thought that she was dead. But she smelled very alive to him. He stopped his efforts and just stared at her. And for a moment, just for a moment, he let his anger down and it was replaced by confusion.

_If you wanted to live so badly, why did you come back?_

Then he remembered Sesshomaru and the others. They were far enough not to smell her. Without thinking he raised his hand and looked his claws. Long, sharp enough to tear someone's face apart. He squeezed it in fist.

He had made mistake that day. He had made mistake and now he could fix it. Or let them fix it. If they would find her, she would not just die. She'd be tortured, they would eat her **alive. **No human wasn't allowed to come here. They would **slaughter **her.

Something glinted in Inuyasha's eyes and he stood up. He could call the others, he should call the others. Every human deserved it.

But he didn't.

Instead he ran further away from them. With Kagome in his back.

* * *

The first thing Kagome noticed was the smell. That smell of Yorihiko-san's stinky, old socks mixed with his sake-smelled breathe. So that meant she was back home right? She had to open her eyes to know it... but why it was so hard and why her head hurt? And what was that warm breeze on her face? Was she outside? Okay, now she would open her eyes...

And she did. Above her was young man who had white long hair, golden eyes and... dog ears. He wore something red and stared at her dryly.

"Saw some fucking sweet dreams?" he asked with gruff voice. She blinked.

"AAAAHHH!"

For the first time in his life Inuyasha nearly had a heart attack. He fell down on his butt and stared at Kagome with wide eyes. She had stood up and stared right back at him, breathing hard. When he was about to yell at her: 'What the hell is wrong with you? !', she opened her mouth for the second time.

"I think I need to throw up", she whispered in asphyxiated voice.

"Eh?" Inuyasha sounded though he had heard very well. Without another word Kagome gagged and emptied her stomach beside her. "Aw, fuck."

When she stopped, she was trembling and felt cold sweat in her neck. Slowly she raised her head and looked at him. He had that same dry face again.

"Gomen about that", she whispered. "I-I'll clean it, I promise..."

"Keh", he snorted and stood up, shaking his red kimono. "Doesn't fucking matter to me."

Then he took something from the ground. A little bucket.

"Drink it", he grunted and gave it to her. Kagome just stared it and then at him.

"I said drink!" he snapped and brought it to her lips quickly. Normally Kagome would have got angry and refused but she felt so tired...

She didn't even taste much of it. Before she knew it, she had fall asleep.

* * *

**I've noticed that all my chapters really are quite short... So I decided to write new one this quickly ^^ Hope u enjoyed 'n remember review. And hey I'll say it already, characters in this story will look quite different than in Inuyasha but I hope it won't disturb too much :)**


	5. Help me

**Not apparently quite good chapter but I'm writing this still =) And I hope u'll enjoy even a little and sorry about my bad english.**

**Mind you, _medama _is japanese and means eyeball though it can also mean something chatacteristic or center of attention.**

**Till next time ^_^**

* * *

Not until when the night had almost ended Kikyo made her way to hut. She was weary and bloody. The first thing she'd do at tomorrow was wash her outfit.

The man wasn't in critical condition anymore and he would probably wake up on the morning. And then he could tell what had happened. Kikyo shivered at the thought of those **creatures **and that night. Over half of their village's people had died that night and their home had burned. No one had couldn't stand against them and when few men had tries they died. That night she had almost lost Kagome. When they had get to safety place, just so small group of them, Kikyo had felt like she would die of worry. Kagome couldn't be dead, she couldn't. Kaede and everyone else had tried to calm her and support but only thing she had wanted was her sister. When the morning had came, they returned to village which had been desolate and destroyed. Others had already gave up for hope; no on couldn't be alive anymore. But Kikyo ran around the village yelling to silent morning fog. And then finally she had found her. Her sister had been laying on the ground dirty and unconscious. Kikyo had almost sobbed of the sigh of her and had pulled her to her lap, hugging her tightly. She had survived with just scratch on her cheek and empty memory; she didn't remembered anything from that night and what had happened, how she had survived.

Kikyo sighed. Maybe it had been good thing. God knows what horrible things she had seen.

_And now those creatures may have come back..._

She entered to their hut. She maybe wouldn't sleep here tonight but she had to talk with Kagome. Make sure that she didn't blame herself for anything. She had done all she could.

The hut was dark. There was now smell of food and both sleeping mats on the corner were empty. Kikyo frowned, the bad feeling growing inside her stomach. "Kagome?"

* * *

She really wasn't asleep anymore, but she somehow knew that she wasn't in danger and that she could just keep her eyes closed for a while.

Suddenly she felt something in her arm. It moved and felt cold and sticky. Kagome opened her eyes, blinked then looked her arm. On top of it was little red lizard which had three big eyes and it's black tongue licked the air.

"Eek! Get off!" she cried, flailing and stood up quickly from the ground where she had been sleeping. The lizard stared at her innocently from there, blinking then it gazed her shoulder. From corner of her eye Kagome glanced her shoulder too. On it was big, brown spider. A scream stuck in her throat and suddenly the lizard stretched it's long tongue and caught the spider and brought it to it's mouth. Kagome stared the lizard, her eyes wide. It gulped, watched her like checking was there more food on her, then scurried with it's tiny feet to copse. Kagome let out a long breathe.

_Little different than lizards back at home_, she thought and looked around. Yes, she wasn't at home. The trees where the same but around her on the ground was lots of plants which she had never seen in her life. Some of them were orange and egregious pink and big too. She heard a buzz from somewhere and the air felt moist.

_So where is this anyway? And where is home?_

The last thing she could remember was that huge tree and the glowing inside it. And the falling... So even the common sense said that she had to find that tree. Maybe she would then find her way back home.

"All right! I'm off!" she said resolutely and clapped her hands together. Then she took a one step forward, only to sink her foot in a yellow slime. She blinked, then rolled her eyes and sighed. _Let's just find that tree..._

The sun was shining to her head when she walked through the forest. Had she slept on the ground all night?

Suddenly a smell caught her nose. A terrible, disgusting smell. She frowned and held her nose. _Where is that __coming from?_

She sniffed once and felt a shiver go through her back. Of course because she was a curious girl, she started to walk where that smell came. After a minute she came to cleaning where the smell was the most awful. And all she could do was widen her eyes.

There was a big pond, actually a swamp where the smell was coming from. The swamp was full of green water and she could almost see the smoke what hovered above. Though she needed a bath, she definitely wouldn't bath **there. **Suddenly she saw something moving in the swamp and squinted her eyes. A one, huge eye arose from the water, blinked and looked around then saw her and blinked again, staring. Kagome's face paled at the big eye which had no head just some kind of string what held it up and rest of it disappeared in the green liquid. Kagome gasped and backed away rapidly, only to feel something touch her back. She gasped again, turned around and saw a young man who had stared at her with yellow eyes.

"Boo", he said. Kagome cried out and lost her balance. She fell... in the swamp.

Inuyasha could only roll her eyes. _Jeez._

Now Kagome could taste the smell in her mouth. Panicked she quickly swam to surface, her eyes burning because the green water. She gasped when she could breathe the air.

"Are you stupid or something?" asked Inuyasha, cocking his eyebrow.

"H-help me!" she pleaded. She had a uneasy feeling that something was squirming against her leg. "Please!"

"Keh, you jumped there, why should I help you? You humans, always asking something from us who are stronger than you!" he snorted and turned around.

"No! Don't leave me!" she tried to climb back but the water was sticky and held her where she was. Then she felt a movement beside her and turned her head slowly to left. There was at least six eyes now staring at her, sliding closer.

"G-go away!" she cried and tried to move but it was no use. She could only stare in those lifeless eyes. They looked so death, so empty. Slowly she didn't feel afraid anymore but quite calm. She felt a darkness come around her like a blanket, swallowing her inside in it's cold embrace. Eyes came closer and closer and she felt herself sank under the water...

_I'm going to die, ne?_

Then she was floating. Strong, safe arms pulled her, kept her on the air. It felt strange; to feel so light.

"You can't look them in the eyes", he growled to her ear, when he had placed her on the ground. "Baka."

Kagome slowly opened her eyes. When she even had closed them?

There was that face again in front of her. That weird young man. His hair was long and shiny white against the sun's light which came through the leaves. On top of his head were two animal ears, like dog ears. She felt the strange urge to touch them. He was frowning to her, his yellow eyes holding intense which she had never seen before...

Then it hit her. She, crying when she was a little girl, huts burning, people screaming and **him**. She remembered. Every one little thing of that night.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her shocked face. "Did you lost your mind already?"

She turned her wide, brown eyes to him and he felt something tug his gut. Why her eyes had to be so... big?

"It's you", her soft voice said. "That night... That attack in our village... It's you..."

He stayed silent just looking at her.

"You-you didn't kill me", she pointed at him with her finger. "Why?"

"Keh!" he snorted and stood up from the ground. "I had better things to do than kill some pathetic kids. And if you don't want to die now, you'd be better go where you came from."

He snorted again when he looked at her face and turned around, about to go back to the others. He didn't even know why he had come again to her anyway.

"Wait, please", she woke from her thoughts when she saw him walk away. She stood up. "Don't leave me, I don't even know where I am!"

"Why in hell you think I'd help you?" he stopped to glared at her. "I can't stand to be even this close to you!"

"Why?" she asked puzzled. "You don't even know me. And if you despise me that much, why you saved me from... from those things? !"

"Keh! Scared are you?" he grinned wickedly, ignoring her question. He walked closer the swamp and watched how the eyes moved in the water. "They are called medamas. If you stare at them long enough in the eye, they'll suck you in the green water and you'll be one of them. No one has ever seen what kind of body they have under the water."

Kagome felt shiver run down her spine. If he hadn't saved her, she would be now in that swamp too, one of those creepy, staring eyes. Though he apparently was rude, this was already second time when he had saved her so he couldn't be that bad. She had to thank him.

"Ano... Arigato", she said hesitantly. "For saving me."

"Don't thank me", he snapped, his eyes intense. "You'll be killed anyway. No human can survive in here."

"Bu-but there must be some way for me to get back home!"

"Hell should I know. Why did you come here anyway?"

"I didn't mean to!" she explained. "I just saw something in that big tree, some kind of pink light and then-"

"I don't give a fuck about that! You're not welcomed here!" with that he was death fast in front of her then shoved her on the ground so that she painfully landed on her butt. "So fuck off."

She saw him turn and walk away, not looking behind. Without even her notice, her eyes began to water, all the shock and fear finally coming to surface. Her rear was now hurt, her knees, hands, everything was in pain. She raised her right hand from the ground and saw that it was bloody; there was a thistle in it, scratching through her skin.

_What am I, a kid? I can't cry immediately when something shocking happens... I'm... I'm strong..._ she convinced in her mind but oddly that made her only cry harder.

He tried to keep walking, he really tried but when he heard her soft snivels, he felt his anger calm down slightly. He searched for it deep from his heart, tried to remember clearly every pain and suffer what humans had caused but couldn't grow it big enough to walk away. His claws sank to his palms, drawing blood and he bite his lower lip, fighting with himself what to do.

She had done nothing to him but she was human. They were all same!

Kagome's eyes were closed so she almost had a heart attack when she felt something grab her hand and take the thistle off. She opened her eyes quickly and saw Inuyasha stare at her with hard eyes.

"Follow me", he said simply and walked past her. Kagome stood up, sniffled and hurried after him though she didn't know where.

Somehow she knew she could trust him, even a little bit. And she really didn't have other choice.


	6. The demons

**Got a inspiration burst! =D Thank you to all who have wrote a review, they make me happy ^^ Hope u'll enjoy and sorry about my bad English.**

**!Japanese words info!**

**baka=stupid, idiot**

**nani=what**

**eh=huh**

**gomenasai=forgive me, I'm sorry**

**arigato=thank you**

**hai=yes**

**miko=priestess**

**san=mr. or mrs.**

**sama=when people speak of someone who is a leader or in some other highly station**

**oi=hey**

**Kami-sama=God**

**

* * *

**

How many yellow slimes she had already stepped in? She didn't know anymore. As she had tried to keep up after the 'dog-man', she had asked what those slimes where but he had kept quiet and only walked faster.

"Where are we going anyway?" she asked from his tall back. She saw his ears move on top of his head but he didn't answer. Kagome started to become irritated of his rudeness. He himself have ordered her to follow him! "Hey, did you hear me, weirdo? !"

Nothing.

_Imbecile_, she thought and snorted but kept following him anyway. After all, he had saved her from those swap creatures. And when she had been a child.

Yes, she remembered now. But why had she forgot it in the first place? Had it been because he had hit her unconscious? Had she hit her head badly on the ground after that? She wasn't sure. And why did he look exactly the same as ten years ago? He hadn't aged days. But after all, he had dog ears on his head so that already told that he wasn't a human.

As Kagome walked, thinking of her past, she felt something on her arm. Having a bad feeling, she slowly turned her head and looked at her it. On her arm was a huge, three times bigger than normal sized mosquito and it was sucking her blood from her skin with its spike. She blinked, then cried out, shaking her arm and ran blindly forward. Straight against Inuyasha's back who had finally stopped walking.

Inuyasha felt something ram at his back and looked behind.

_What a damn klutz_, he rolled his eyes when he saw her on her butt again, whining. "Is that a habit or what?"

Kagome shot a glare at him and stood up. "Why are we stopping?"

"Baka. Look ahead."

She raised her head, frowning until she saw a familiar tree in front of them and understood. It was the same tree, which inside she had seen the weird light. Unlike the other trees in here which where bigger than in her forest, this was exactly the same looking.

_So he brought me here so I can get home_, she realized and looked at him. He was glaring at her like from the very beginning but she didn't mind now.

"Arigato", she smiled. Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly and he looked away. Strange, it was nothing like him.

"Keh. I just want you out of here. Now."

"Okay, okay", she said and walked past him closer the tree. She touched it carefully, moving her fingers over the rough trunk.

Inuyasha eyed her acts intensively. He saw her brush the tree gently, gently like it would be a living creature. Though he couldn't admit it even to himself, this girl confused him. She was very different from the other people he had met. She smelled different; something unique which he had never smelled before.

But he knew better than fall for her innocent act. Deep down she was as cruel as the others. Heartless human.

Kagome frowned as she explored the tree enough. There was no little hole or glow.

"This isn't working", she said mostly to herself but Inuyasha heard her with his sensitive ears.

"Nani?"

"I can't see the glow which I saw when I came here", she said, looking at him nervously.

"If you came here by yourself, you can go back too!"

"I'm not even sure how I did it! I don't even know what this place is since you don't tell me anything!" she snapped. He was making her tense with his yelling and blaming. "You live here so tell me what I should do!"

"It's not my problem and stop screaming at me, wench!"

"Jerk!"

He was about to yell back but suddenly he closed his mouth and Kagome saw him sniff the air. Then his glare deepened and a low voice came from his throat, like a growl.

"Fuck", he muttred, then looked at her. "If I were you, I'd go now."

"Nani? But I already said that I don't know how!" she insisted, confused. "What's wrong?"

"You're going to die soon", he said simply, turning his head to right, his ears up, listening the forest's voices.

"Eh!" she cried and started hear something too. Running. Something was coming towards them. Without thinking Kagome ran to him, grabbed his red kimono in panic.

"Please!" she begged with everything she had, looking him in the yellow eyes. "Please, don't let me die!"

Inuyasha's glare faded at her words. He slightly narrowed his eyes and simply stared at her. For the first time since his childhood, he didn't know what to do. But he couldn't tear his gaze off from her big, brown eyes.

"I can't", he said quietly to her and Kagome saw his eyes suddenly in a new way. They looked... softer.

But before she could say anything, think anything, something grabbed her hair and pulled her away from him.

* * *

Kikyo stood nervously outside the hut and closed her eyes. The cool wind felt good in her hair and face but it didn't ease the exhaustion, worry and lack of sleep. She prayed, oh how she prayed that Kagome was just angry with her, that she had just ran somewhere forest and stayed there until she would forgive her. But no, Kikyo knew Kagome and she knew that her little sister would never make her worry like this, no matter how angry she would be.

Kikyo opened her eyes when she heard someone arrive. Three men walked quickly to her and bowed shortly.

"Gomenasai, Kikyo-sama but we have not found anything yet. We are going to rest, just for a little while and then go deeper to the forest", said one of them who had a brown, short hair and sweaty face from searching. Kikyo squeezed her red pants, trying to control her anxiety. She remembered Shun-san's words.

_"But she's my sister!" Kikyo insisted and hit her fists against the wooden floor when the old, gray-haired man didn't listen to her. "I have to go find her!"_

_"Kikyo-sama!" Shun shouted firmly and that made Kikyo look at him and stop her worried demands. "You are a strong and talented miko, we all would give our lives to your hands. But you are not thinking clearly now. Your mind is too full of worry for Kagome-san who probably is just out for a walk."_

_"But you heard what Torai-san said! What if those creatures are still out there?"_

_"That is impossible!" Shun shook his head. "If they were, they would had destroyed our village long ago."_

_"But...", Kikyo dropped her gaze to the floor. "It is still dark. What if something happens and..."_

_"Kikyo-sama", Shun said calmly and touched her shoulders. She raised her head and looked in his gray eyes. "I will sent immediately the strongest men of the village to find her. She will be back home soon. You must stay here and take care of this ill man, he needs your help."_

_They both turned to look at the stranger who Kagome had found, laying on the floor. He breathed just slightly because his serious wounds._

_"Do you understand?" asked Shun._

_"Hai", Kikyo nodded finally._

She gulped, then let go of her pants and breathed out. "Very well. I understand, you need your rest. Arigato, Takumi-san."

The men bowed again, then turned around and left each one to their own huts. With a heavy heart Kikyo too went back to hut, where rested the injured man. He hadn't woke up yet and there was a possibility that he might die in his sleep if he would stay unconscious. Kikyo took the wet garment out of the bowl and placed it on his forehead.

_Stay alive_, she pleaded in her thoughts. _We have to know who did this to you. Or what._

Then suddenly, like the man would had heard her, his eyes flew open and he let out a loud gasp. He breathed hard and he looked like he was in pain. Sure he was with so many wounds.

"Calm down", Kikyo, who had used to these situations, said and touched carefully his shoulder. "You are safe now. But do not move or you will open your wounds."

Man stared at her with big, terrified eyes, looking like seeing something what she could not see. His raspy voice spoke quietly, "They... They will get me..."

"Don't try to talk", Kikyo said but the man was determined to tell what he wanted.

"You-you have to wa-warn people. They are coming. They will kill us like they tried to kill me-me."

Kikyo couldn't help but feel curious and bent down closer to the man. "Who? Who will come here and kill us? Who hurt you?"

The man suddenly grabbed her hand, his eyes desperate. Kikyo saw his need and squeezed his fingers, giving him more power to speak.

"When they come... You can not win them. You just have to run", he whispered and Kikyo noticed that his breathing was turning more uneven. But she had to know.

"Who?" she asked firmly.

"The... Demons. Creatures with long hair, wild, dangerous eyes and sharp claws. Ears like animal's ears."

Kikyo's eyes widened; she knew that story. This was what she had scared.

"Are absolutely sure?" she asked, holding his hand tightly. "Are they coming here?" _Do they have my baby sister?_

_"_They feel no mercy when... they find you", he breathed out last time. Kikyo tried to ask more, know more but it was useless. The man was dead.

* * *

The air was thick. Without his own notice, Inuysha had clenched his hands to fists and eyed from fast dog demon to trembling Kagome.

Only thing Kagome knew was that someone was pulling her hair and it hurt, and kept her on the ground, on her knees. She was squeezing her head, her scalp in pain.

"Look what we have hear", she heard a mocking voice from the person who was holding her hair. "A. Little. Human."

With each word he shook her and she whined painfully.

"Hey, Yoichi! You see what I have?" he yelled and Kagome opened her eyes slowly. In front of her was that same familiar dog man, who looked troubled and next to him stood a very shocked man, with same ears. His hair was long too, violet and his red eyes were wide.

"What the fuck? !" he spat, walked straight to Kagome and kicked her on the stomach. She cried out. "What the hell is that doing here? ! In our forest!"

"Don't tell me", the man above her said. "I found this thing with Inuyasha."

Kagome looked at him weekly, using his name for the first time, "Inuyasha..."

He met her gaze.

"Did someone give you the right to talk? !" the man shook her again. "Did someone give you the right even breathe?"

"Ah!" she gasped, feeling almost tears coming to her eyes from the pain.

"Koga..." Inuyasha growled and took a step forward. Koga stopped and tilted his head.

"Nani, Inuyasha?" he asked, narrowing his eyes. "What's the matter? Oh, I get it. You want her all yourself! Well fuck it. Though I like killing humans, this wench is pissing me off."

He throw her on the ground, right in front of Inuyasha's legs. Trembling, Kagome raised her head and looked at him with pleading eyes.

_Please... You saved me before. Why can't you help me now? Please..._

Inuyasha was lost. Normally he would had killed her immediately, they wouldn't had to even ask. But now when he saw her big eyes, it felt hard, almost impossible task.

_What the hell is wrong with me?_ he asked from himself as he gazed down at her weak form. _She. Is. A. Human!_

But he didn't have time to decide. Yoichi put his bare foot on her head and pressed her face down against the dirty ground.

"Sffop!" she protested and tried to raise her head, but the dog demon pressed more firmly and she was afraid that she might choke. Inuyasha looked at Yoichi. He had never seen him that angry.

"We wont kill her yet", he hissed, looking madly down the girl. "First we have to take her to Inutaisho-sama. He will know what to do with this filth."

"But I thought we could have some fun of our own", Koga snorted, bored.

"Koga!" Yoichi shouted suddenly, pointing his finger at him. "This is not some game! This is serious! A human has penetrated to our world! And I bet you know what happened last time when something like that happened!"

"Okay, shut up already!" Koga roared back. "Let's take her to him, fine!"

"Good", Yoichi calmed down as fast as he had started yelling. Then he turned to Inuyasha. "And you. You have some explanations to do."

"Keh", Inuyasha said like always. Yoichi finally lifted his foot off of her head and Kagome gasped when she was able to breathe again.

_Oh Kami-sama_, she thought and looked around. That Inuyasha and his friend Yoichi were glaring at her and now she saw the man too who had grabbed her hair. He had black, scary eyes and black long hair. On top of his head were two black dog ears too. _Who are these guys?_

"You take her", Yoichi ordered, looking at Inuyasha.

"Nani? You can't order me to-"

"Take her now", Yoichi snarled. Inuyasha clenched his jaw; Yoichi was obviously forgetting to who he was talking to! But Inuyasha let it be, when the air was now thick and nervous enough. He grabbed Kagome's arms and pulled her to her feet.

"Eh?" Kagome gasped as he lifted her by her waist and placed her roughly over his shoulder.

"Oi, what are you doing? Put me down!" She yelled and started kicking her legs against his chest. Yoichi said nothing and started walking forward. Koga snorted and followed him. Inuyasha was behind them.

"Let me go!" she ordered but then she felt his claws against her ankles, squeezing them. It was a warning.

"If you want to stay alive a little longer", his voice whispered. "Then shut up."

Kagome's mouth fell slightly open but then she closed it and stopped kicking.

Why was this happening? What bad had she done to them? She hadn't known that this was their forest, she hadn't even meant to come here in the first place. All hope vanished in the air when she realized how big mess she had run into this time. She could die. She probably would die and no one was there to help her. Not even him.

When he had saved her life as she had been a little, she had thought that there was something good in him. She really had thought so.

"You meanie", she whispered against Inuyasha's back. His ears moved slightly from her voice. "I thought you'd help me."

Inuyasha heard how broken she sounded and couldn't help but lower his gaze on the ground as he walked and think, _For a moment, I thought so too._


	7. She's mine

_**Nonsense talks**_

**Guess what? :O I already know how this story ends! Haa, haa! xD xD And oh, I just noticed that one of the demon's name is Yoichi just like that boy's name in _Someone to love, someone to trust... _now it bothers me...**

**Okay, what ever, hope u'll enjoy and sorry 'bout my bad English ~_^ And to Sonyadore, I told you wrong, Inuyasha is a demon, not a half-demon, sorry about that mistake too =) But he does look like half-demon.**

**If there's any mistakes, let me know.**

**!Japanese words!**

**oi=hey**

**-sama=when you speak to very notable person or want to be very polite**

**hai=yes**

**onegai=please**

* * *

"Oi!" Koga glanced over his shoulder, yelling to Inuyasha. "Shut that bitch up! Her whining makes my ears burn!"

Inuyasha glared at him. _Fucking wimp. She's just humming._

He immediately was surprised at his defensive thoughts for the girl. _No, it's just Koga. He's always pissing you off._

"Oi", he shook his shoulder, squeezing the girls long legs. "Stop making noises."

She didn't answer but her soft croon wasn't heard any more. Inuyasha sensed her nervousness and slight fear, he could almost smell it. And somehow it made him uneasy. He steadied her postion as he walked after Koga and Yoichi. That dog sure knew how to yell when he was mad. Plus he just had to bled Inuyasha's father in this too.

Kagome heard his low growl and choose to be completely still. He, this Inuyasha, had helped her a lot but she didn't know what was going to happen next. He probably wouldn't protect her anymore when his friends were in the picture now too.

When she couldn't hum anymore, Kagome just closed her eyes and remembered those nights when she had suffered from consumption. She had been nine years old and Kikyo had sat beside her sleeping mat when she had couched, moaned and almost couldn't breathe. Kikyo had made her eat many nasty tasting herbs and drinks but she had always been there near her, stroking her hair, singing a song which still made her calm down sometimes.

She felt so tired and dirty, she could had fall asleep unless the adrenaline wouldn't had pumped powefrully inside her veins. And of course the fact that she was hoisted over a dog man's shoulder and probably was going to meet a lot more. Who was Inutaisho?

They walked through the forest, Kagome seeing many more weird bugs and she even saw a bird which had two heads and four wings. That was when she promised to herself not to be surprised of anything anymore. She sighed. Her eyes moved around, not really looking anything. But suddenly her gaze steadied as something hurtled in the trees. Her head shot up to see what it was. In the shadows of the leaves and branches, she saw a figure in black kimono, his long red hair swaying. It was staring at them.

Inuyasha had noticed it too. Obviously as they neared the nest, the others flew pass them and saw the girl. He waited for the yells and snarls to start.

"You've seen what has happened!" Yoichi yelled up to the tree at figures which were quite many now. "Tell Inutaisho-sama!"

Without another word Kagome saw them dissapear just like that. _So fast..._

She winced when she heard howling voices near and inhuman snarling. Her body started to tremble and she squeezed her eyes shut. Now she was really scared.

Inuyasha gulped as he felt her tremble. He couldn't keep the growing nervous away which twisted in his gut. How would he explain this? He couldn't tell that he had helped her and talked to her when he should had killed her many ears ago. Yeah, he was in a deep shit this time.

Kagome saw that the sun's light was brighter. The trees were left behind as they came at a clearing and suddenly there were surrounded by those creatures who had dog ears. They were like a pack of wolfs which stared at her without blinking. There was males and females and in their arms little children, their tiny ears down and watching her with eyes full of mixed fear and confusion. They had simple kimonos but which were much dirtier and tattered than the kimonos which were used in her village.

She heard the snarling and muttering, small gasps and curses as Inuyasha threw her on the ground. She landed on her back and the sun blinded her eyes from the sky now that trees weren't covering its light anymore. She couched and sat up. Her eyes widened when see the men who had dragged her here bowing in front of her. But when she heard walking just behind her, she realized that they weren't bowing at her. Slowly she turned around.

He was a tall man, probably the tallest she had ever seen. His long white hair was up in a high ponytail, eyes like a golden and he wore a white kimono, at least it probably had been before it had got dirty from blood and mud. He had a sword combined against his waist. Actually, he looked much like Inuyasha though his face was completely different; it was sharp and there was no softness and Kagome could see a small marks of oldness in his smooth cheeks. His aura almost glowed power and dignity which made Kagome nervous. _Inutaisho... right?_

Inutaisho blinked and spoke with a low voice, "Human."

Inuyasha, Yochi and Koga raised their heads.

"Hai", Yochi answered.

"It wasn't a question", Inutaisho told and his eyes travled to Inuyasha then moved back to girl. "Explain."

Kagome knew that he wasn't talking to her so she kept silent though his eyes which never left hers made her want to disappear.

"We found him with your son", Yochi aswered. "He can explain."

Inuyasha felt everyone's, absolutely everyone's gaze on him. He growled in his mind and met his father's hard look, "I guess she came through the Goshinboku."

"You guess?" Inutaisho narrowed his eyes.

"Hell, I don't know I found her middle of the forest and she told me she had seen some light in the tree. I don't fucking know anything."

"Like always", said a voice which belonged to person which Kagome hadn't noticed. He stood close to Inutaisho and she saw the simitaliers on their faces. He too had a dirty white kimono and white hair.

"You shut up", Inuyasha growled.

"Silence", Inutaisho said simply then knelt in front of Kagome. "How did you come here?"

Kagome felt the hairs on her neck rise up, "He-he told the truth. I-I saw a light in the tree and then woke up here."

More gasps and curses was heard and Inutaisho's intense gaze made her almost sick. He narrowed his eyes, "Midoriko."

"Nani-" Kagome was about to say but then suddenly she couldn't breathe. There was a preasure on her neck which almost broke her trachea.

"**You bitch**", Inutaisho spat, squeezing her throat, pinning her to ground. "You can't be alive! I killed you with my own claws!"

"Father, what-" Inuyasha's legs work on their own, moving him towards Kagome and Inutaisho but Sesshomaru's white kimono's in front stopped him.

"Don't", Inuyasha's half brother said. Inuyasha growled and could only watch when Inutaisho choked the unknowing Kagome.

The vision in Kagome's eyes disappeared and she felt the blood in her brains run cold. She couldn't move and only heard few words what Inutaisho snarled to her face. Then as suddenly as it had come, it was gone.

Everyone looked as Inutaisho's grip loosened little by little till he fully let go of the human girl and backed away from her shuddering form, breathing hard.

"Father?" his first son asked. Inutaisho met his gaze.

"It's not her", he shook his head. "Her face is... different."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha said, starting to get irritated with his confusion. "You though she was Midoriko?"

"No one", Inutaisho raised his voice but then lowered it again. "No one has ever been able to come here through the Goshinboku but her. So maybe you understand my anger, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha frowned and looked at Kagome who was still catching her breath on the ground. He had though about that too but his suspicions had immediately dissapeared when he had looked at her fully; her eyes was the same colour but her face... was much gentler.

And of course after he had seen what klutz she was. But the fact that this girl could melt his guard so easily really scared him. It would had been normal if he had reacted like his father.

Kagome blinked the tears away from her eyes, trying to breathe calmly in and out.

_How many times I'm going to be near the death without is actually happening?_ she asked in her head but soon wished that she wouldn't had.

"Kill her, kill her!" the demons started to yell when Inutaisho had spared the girl's life.

"Father?" Sesshomaru asked. Kagome scared eyes met Inutaisho's hateful ones.

"Listen to the pack", he said in low tone and backed away from her.

"Allow me", Koga smirked growling and Kagome's eyes widened when she saw him flex his sharp claws. He, Yochi and couple more demon walked towards her and she felt the panic rise inside of her.

"No! It was an accident, I never didn't mean to come here!" she cried desperately and tried to back away from converging dangerous eyes. She then remembered those words Orochi-sama's old words, _"Red. Black. Yellow. Do you that you will never see those eyes."_

"Stop, stop!" she shouted when she felt them grab her legs and hands, pinning her to ground once more. The black-haired, Koga, knelt beside her and with one motion teared her kimono open so that her stomach was exposed and almost her breasts were revealed to them. But Kagome couldn't get embrased when she was scared for her dear life.

"Let's see..." Koga moved his claw down her smooth stomach. Kagome trembled and squeezed her eyes shut. "Were should I start."

"Why you're the one who starts?" the voices around her said.

"She has penetrated to our all's home! We want part of her flesh too!"

Growling and more growling.

"Shut the fuck up!" she heard Koga yell. "You weren't there when we found her. When you find something, you can keep it."

Snarling and more snarling. They were fighting about who was going to be the first to hurt her.

"I'll give her to you soon. Before that I just can't resist the urge to dig this out of her belly..." his claw dug into her navel.

He didn't see what they were doing. Probably twenty had gathered around her and there was so much growls and shouts that he couldn't separate the one who was going to hurt her at that very moment. But he did hear her strident scream. He cursed his ears when they flattened against his head, cursed his claws when they scratched his palms as he clenched his fists, cursed his hard when it stopped beating at the sound of her fear and hurt. When that bitch had started to control him this way? Maybe she really was Midoriko. Maybe she had got him under her some kind of spell which made this desperate need boil within him. The desperate need to help her.

The other's laughter and angry snarling drowned her scream. She kicked and fought to get away but it was no use against their strong hand which held her. Her stomach was on fire and she felt the drops of blood roll down her sides. She had never begged for help this badly.

_Inuyasha! !_

Somehow he just heard her.

"What the-" Koga exclaimed when he was suddenly pushed away. With a strong force Inuyasha had made his way through the gathering, grabbed Koga away from the girl and was now standing in front of her tremulous, sobbing body. He didn't dare to look at her injures.

"What you think you're doing?" he heard yells around him, Koga staring at him with big angry balck eyes.

"Mutt", he growled under his breathe. "Move away."

"No", he said simply and turned his head to Kagome. Her hands were juddering above her stomach like she was wanting to touch it but couldn't. It was covered with blood, a deep small wound on the centre. Her eyes were closed, face twisted in pain. "It's my turn now. I found her first so she's mine."


	8. Keep her hidden

**_kirr1001 says:_**

**I'm very sorry about the shortness... But I wanted to write at least something :) And sorry too about my bad English.**

**!Japanese words!**

**onesan=sister, big sister**

* * *

Inuyasha's tall back was in front of her eyes though she didn't see much with them because the pain had blurred them. But she knew one thing and that was the fact that Inuyasha was keeping others away from her. Though she heard his threatening words, all she could feel was gratitude for this dog man.

_Make them go away, please make them go away_, her mind whispered and she blinked, making few more tears to fall down her cheeks. She breathed in shortly and quickly then dared to look at her stomach. The vision made her grip the grass under her. She had no navel anymore.

"What the fuck are you saying?", Koga growled under his breathe, anger making his ears twist. "Why the **fuck **are you coming between me and my prey?"

"Koga", Inutaisho's calm voice said and the demon pack's heads turned to look at him. He was sitting on a big rock which looked almost like throne. "Leave my son alone. He's right and I'm interested to see what he has on mind. Go on, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha's eye brows furrowed and he gazed at girl. He couldn't believe he was doing this, he would never be able to believe that he was actually doing this...

"Keh. I'll show that bitch what is real pain", he faked a smirk to Koga then grabbed her off the ground, holding her by her injured stomach. His feet carried him fast further from the others, towards the trees and Kagome was thrown against trunk. She cried out in pain, clutching her middle. Pack's yells which had started quickly died down when they saw that Inuyasha was just leaning against tree.

"What are you doing?"

"Make her scream more!"

"Finish with her like you said!"

Inuyasha blew air from his lips and shrugged lazily, "Sorry. Got tired."

Koga narrowed his eyes and Sesshomaru snorted. "Of course. You're not even capable harm human girl."

Inuyasha held back his growl and clenched the tree beside him as the others begun to walk towards the girl. He carefully scratched its bark and closed his eyes.

_Hear me! Help her!_

Kagome breathed hardly, confused and scared. One moment she thought she could trust Inuyasha and next he was trying to kill her like others. She saw how the demons started to get closer again and she knew that she was going to loose something more than just her navel. _Gomen onesan..._

But this was just one of those times when she was near her death. Because suddenly she felt two arms, two cold arms wrap around her, touching her stomach but it didn't hurt at all. She realized that the tree was sucking her inside itself.

Then she disappeared.

The pack was dead quiet as they saw human vanish in the air by green light. Inuyasha quickly withdrew his hand from the tree.

_Keep her hidden till I get there Miroku, Sango._


	9. Tree spirits

**_kirr1001 says:_**

**So here is new chapter and we get to know Sango, Miroku and Shippo :) Btw Asphodel is one of Greek myth plants and flowers, it was believed to dominate the fields of the land of the dead. Maybe it was stupid to put it in this story but I couldn't resist.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter and sorry 'bout my bad English.**

**!Japanese words!**

**miko=priestess**

**gomenasai, gomen=forgive me, I'm sorry, sorry**

**nani=what**

**hai=yes**

* * *

Koga was the first to speak, "What the hell? She disappeared!"

"Keh, thanks for telling."

"Silence", Sesshomaru said and walked to the tree. He touched its bark and Inuyasha could almost hear the ticking of his brains.

"What if she is as powerful as that other miko?" one of the pack's women asked, taking her little demon daughter in her arms.

"That's right!" Tomoki spoke too. "What if she has powers which can move her to different places?"

"Mama, I'm scared of her", white-haired boy tucked his mother's shappy skirt.

"My pack!" Inutaisho stood up and everybody turned to look at him. "Do not fear. The miko who destroyed our home hundred years ago is dead. I was fool to think differently when I saw that girl. Our men will find her right away. Before that I ask you to be calm and enjoy the zabra's fresh meat which Jinya and Gouki brought us this morning."

The demons still looked worried but speak of food quickly eat away the childrens fear and their faces lit up.

"Eita, please go get zabra from cave", Inutaisho spoke to one of the strongest demon of the pack. He nodded in reply, jumping quickly in the nearest tree's branch and there to other. Then Inutaisho turned to Yoichi. "You stay here and take care of pack."

"Yes, Inutaisho-sama."

"Jinya, Sesshomaru, Tomoki and Koga come with me", he said.

As the called demons went to him, Inuyasha, though everything went exactly like he wanted, couldn't keep his mouth shut, "Why the hell I can't come?"

"Did puppy hurt his pride?" Koga smirked widely and Inutaisho looked at his younger son calmly.

"I'm taking only the fastest with me and Tomoki so he learns how to fight when it's needed. You are strong, Inuyasha but that it is."

This time Inuyasha knew he had to swallow his anger and watch as they went. When he was left with pack, it was easier for him to sneak away to find that whiny girl and give her a big peace of his mind.

Though Yoichi wasn't dumb and fooling him wasn't so simple.

* * *

It wasn't like when she had come from her world to Inuyasha's. It didn't take long and she wasn't falling either. It felt like she was pulled in something then quickly pushed back away. Just like that.

Kagome's face met the ground but she quickly sat up, backing away until she realized that there was nothing to back away. The demons were gone and the clearing, Inutaisho and Inuyasha too. She was alone, her back against one of the trees. When the shock faded away and she started to think what had happened, the pain hit her stomach, coming back with full force. Kagome clunched it, fighting with the want to lie down and stay there. She had to do something, she had to get away.

But then someone spoke to her ear, "Gomenasai, was I too rough-handed?"

Kagome gasped and turned around, seeing something very weird. There was a face and upper body, coming from inside the wood and it was green. And transparent. Like the ghosts in tales.

"Na-nani?" at least she forgot the pain for a moment.

"Well we can't really lay you down when we transfer you", the ghost said. She could tell that he was a man, short hair and he was wearing a simple kimono. "Yes, that's like a bad habit which we can't get rid of."

"Miroku, you're talking too much", this time Kagome let out a small scream, when another ghost, a woman one appeared from other tree. "Can't you see that she has no idea what's going on?"

"Oh, but I thought she was Inuyasha's friend."

"Does she look like Inuyasha's friend?" woman moved her bangs away from her eyes. "She's human."

"Human in here", man looked thinking. "How and why?"

"Okay!" Kagome swayed her right hand as other held her stomach. "I don't know who you are and what you are but I have enough of this place! I'm bleeding to death and those demons are going to kill me if I can't find a way back home!"

"I have bandages", man told her, pointing at the tree where he was. "Take this tree's bark and wrap it around your stomach."

Kagome eyed at him and the tree. She slowly stood up and walked closer.

"It's okay", she heard the woman say. "Just move your hand through him and take the bark."

She reached out and watched as her hand went through man's chest. She glanced at his face which looked back at her friendly then dig her fingers to rough bark, pulling out a long piece.

"That should help a bit. That is one of this forest's trees which bark is healing", woman said as Kagome wrapped the scrap around her, pressing it against her wound. "You can see it from the side difference. Healing trees are just a bit smaller."

"You're so clever, Sango", man smiled but she frowned at him. Kagome looked up at the trees then back to them.

"Thank you", she smiled a small smile. "I'm sorry I snapped at you. I was just very near of death. Were you the ones who saved me?"

"Hai, me, young miss", man bowed. "My name is Miroku, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"I'm Sango", woman said.

"Kagome", she nodded. "Thank you, really. Without you, I wouldn't be here."

"Of course", Miroku smiled.

"But you should thank Inuyasha", Sango added, gazing at Miroku's face suspiciously. "He was the one who asked us to help. Though I don't understand why, he hates humans."

"Inuyasha?" she asked confused. Something warm bornt inside Kagome when she heard that Inuyasha had helped her after all. _He must be in real trouble because of me._

She felt like she had ruined everything, in her home and in here.

"What about Inuyasha?" a small voice asked from high. Kagome blinked and looked up with Miroku and Sango. The third ghost which was too connected with tree, slid down towards them until Kagome could see his furry hair and button nose.

"Shippo-chan, there you are", Sango smiled to little boy. "This is Kagome, apparently... Inuyasha's friend."

"Hi! I'm Shippo!" boy turned to Kagome and she decided that she had never seen anything so cute. Shippo frowned to her. "Why you're Inuyasha's friend? His friends aren't pretty like you."

"I-I don't know", Kagome smiled hesitantly, not thinking that she was really all that pretty. Back home all men and boys adored Kikyo, not just because her great miko powers but because of her beauty too.

"And Inuyasha doesn't like humans. Hey!" Shippo realized suddenly. "You're human, not just tree spirit! How did you get here, that isn't normal, isn't it?"

"No, Shippo, it isn't. That's it what we were trying to think", Miroku explained.

"Tree spirits?" Kagome couldn't help but be curious.

"We're dead", Shippo said simply.

"I suppose you noticed that we don't look much of alive?" Miroku asked and Kagome nodded. "We are dead spirits whose souls are intertwined to this forest's trees."

"Actually to one particular tree", Sango added.

"We can show it to you if you want. Can we, Sango, Miroku? Please?" Shippo was so full of eargerness that Kagome scared he might explode.

"Why not?" Miroku shrugged.

"Is that okay, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. Kagome smiled happily at the nickname.

"Of course", though she knew she had to get back home but she was glad to see that there was good people in here.

"Let's go then!" Shippo suddenly wrapped his arms around her. Kagome gasped as she felt how she was sucked inside the tree again.

Soon the same strong power pushed her out and she again was thrown on the ground. Kagome hissed in pain, sat up and looked at herself. She was dirty and bloody and still Shippo thought her as pretty. No, she was disgusting.

"Gomen!" Shippo appeared from tree.

"Shippo, you shouldn't be so hasty. Young women get confused if you touch them so quickly", Miroku chided though Kagome could hear that there was humor in his voice.

"Yeah, you know women so good", Sango muttered.

"Is something bothering you, my Sango?"

"Me? No. Why should something bother me?"

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Shippo leaned as near as he could when he was intertwined with tree.

"No problem", Kagome sighed, touching her stomach. "This bark works. I'm not bleeding anymore."

"Of course it works", Sango smiled. "Can you walk? Shippo's tree isn't far.

"I can", Kagome answered and stood up.

She saw how Shippo disappeared inside the tree then appeared to another. "Here, here!"

Kagome followed them, her hand still on her stomach. It didn't hurt badly anymore but there was a new wound in it which needed healing; hunger.

"That's my tree. We all have our owns", Shippo said proudly. Kagome looked at it. It was much like other trees, quite big and full of green leaves but on it's roots was few very small white flowers.

"Asphodel", Sango had followed her gaze. "Those flowers keep us here though we are dead."

"Hai", Miroku nodded. "Some creatures eat them quite often but they always grow back."

"So what?" Shippo raised his voice. "If the flowers would disappear then we would too. I like to be here, I... I don't want to die."

"Shippo..." Kagome's eyes saddened. If her life wasn't easy, at least she had to remember that she had it still. She reached out her hand, planning to touch Shippo's small head but gasped softly as it went through him. Shippo looked a bit sad too but gave her a small smile. Kagome decided to change subject and turned back to tree. "I think your tree is beautiful."

"Me too!" Shippo grinned. Miroku and Sango smiled.

"Kagome-san", Miroku started. "Could you tell us how did you come here?"

"I was in forest, I mean my forest and then I saw a really huge tree. A light was coming from its bark", she saw Sango and Miroku glance each others. Kagome walked closer the Shippo's tree. "But it didn't scare me at all, I was just confused of what it was. So I walked closer and saw that there was a hole on the tree. Inside it was, I'm not sure, some kind of jewel's fragment."

Kagome touched the tree. "I had my arrows with me so I took one and tried to take whatever it was out. And then... I ended up in here."

Just then, the tree started to glow. Kagome's eyes widened and she tried to back away but her hand didn't agree with her. Then she realized that it wasn't the tree where the light was coming, it was her hand. She could hear other's surprised voices as she stared at her hand, not knowing what to do.

"Aaaah! Stop it!" Kagome turned around as she heard Shippo's voice. Sango and Miroku were looking at him, horrified. His small body was glowing too. It was slowly disappearing.

"Stop! I'm fading!" Shippo screamed, looking down at his body. Kagome remembered then the connection of Shippo and the tree and looked at her hand. Now she tried with full force to pull it away from tree but it stayed firm like it had its own will.

"Shippo-chan! Miroku, what do we do?" she heard Sango's voice and pulled harder, closing her eyes. _Shippo dies! Shippo-chan dies and it's my fault!_

But then she felt a touch on her wrist and her hand was finally pulled off. Kagome opened her eyes and stared at the tree, breathing hard. She saw someone's hand on her wrist, someone's who had long, sharp claws and moved her eyes to its owner.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered. The demon gazed down at her with harsh look then glanced at others. Kagome turned her head too, afraid of what had happened to Shippo. But relief filled her when she saw that Shippo was all right, transparent but not fading anymore. Though he looked shocked and scared like Sango and Miroku too.

"Are you all right, Shippo?" Miroku asked softly and Shippo nodded slowly. Kagome saw that there was tears in his eyes.

"What the hell is happening in here?" Inuyasha snapped. "I come here and find you guys fussing and Shippo screaming."

"I think..." Sango blinked. "I think Shippo almost died."

"Died? But isn't he already-", then he remembered the girl he was still holding and looked at her. "What have you done now, wench?"

Kagome gasped as she saw everybody staring at her. She had never felt so failed and ashamed. "I..."


	10. Your kind

**Sorry 'bout my bad English!**

* * *

She swallowed and lowered her gaze to ground. "I didn't mean to... I..."

"You - you almost k-killed me", Shippo didn't sound mad but his face was scared.

"I leave you alone for a minute and -" Inuyasha rubbed his temple, frustrated.

"Now, let's calm down", Miroku raised his left hand up. "Kagome-san looked just as confused as us."

"Yeah, that's all she has done while being here", Inuyasha snorted. "Stood mouth open and fucked up my life."

"I didn't ask to come here", Kagome hissed through her teeth.

"I didn't ask either", Inuyasha muttered. He was sick of this and especially sick of that girl.

Kagome sighed deeply through his nose. After all who was she to whine about this situation? She herself had touched that shiny thing in the tree and appeared here. Not to mention that she would be now dead without her demon savior. She touched her bandaged stomach and raised her head, looking at Shippo, "I'm so sorry, Shippo. I really don't know what happened and I didn't mean to cause any danger to you."

Shippo chose to be silent and look at her casually.

"And Inuyasha?"

"What?" demon snapped, not bothering to look at her.

Kagome smiled sadly, "Thank you for saving me. Again."

Now Inuyasha glanced at her over his shoulder. He crossed his arms across his chest and frowned. The fact that he had saved her like those years ago was unbelievable. Unbelivable and stupid.

He didn't answer either, Kagome could only hear how he muttered something to himself.

"Kagome-chan", Sango called out, making Kagome look at the green figures again. "I believe that you didn't want to really hurt Shippo'chan but... Normal human couldn't do things like that. Like Miroku said nothing has ever managed to destroy Asphodels which keep us here. So how could you?"

"I agree", Miroku spoke too. "The fact that she could even come here is more than weird."

"My father was shocked too", Inuyasha said quietly. "He thought Kagome was Midoriko."

"Who is Midoriko?" Kagome shot puzzled looks at them.

"Midoriko was a very great priestess", Miroku explained. "She lived hundreds years ago at the other side of the Goshinboku, where you live too. In human's world. She was powerful but cruel. At one day she came here with a huge army and... killed almost every demon who lived here."

Inuyasha swallowed a growl which threatened to come out from his throat and squeezed his arms tightly inside his palms.

"She apparently was afraid of the creatures which lived here", Sango continued. She, like the every three of them, was very aware of how sore issue this was to Inuyasha. "Dog demons knew how to come through the Goshinboku to human world. They had some kind of specific aura, of course because they were demons but maybe too because of humans and dogs close relationship. We don't really know how does it work but only dog demons were able to travel between two worlds."

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha's still form and then his white, cute dog ears.

"When Midoriko's village's people started talk and spend time with dog demons though it was rarely, she saw it as a threat."

"She made a quick travel to land's villages and persuaded every strong and weak man to fight against the demons. Since she was a powerful priestess she had great aura which made it possible for her to travel here and take her army with her too", Miroku ended the legend with serious face.

"Priestess... could be so... cruel?" Kagome whispered, her face telling enough of how shocked she was.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Inuyasha asked darkly. "That your kind isn't so pure and perfect?"

"But... how could she do it? Even if she had a big army I've seen how powerful they are. I don't think humans could ever win -"

"Stop talking like you know a thing about me and my family, wench!" Inuyasha snapped. They were all acting like he wasn't there and the bitch had had a nerve to ignore his question. And who were Miroku and Sango to even tell about his past when they hadn't seen it with their own eyes like him?

"Inuyasha -" Miroku started but was cut off by dog demon's snarl. He had thought it was safe to talk about Midoriko since Inuyasha had told about her to them himself. If Inuyasha had saved Kagome more than once, Miroku had thought it was fine to tell her since Inuyasha maybe cared for her even a bit. But of course he had understood wrong.

"You know why exactly she managed to kill almost every bloody demon in here with few hundreds of stupid humans?" Inuyasha growled to Kagome who was now nervous and regreting that she had said even a word. "Because we were actually quite tame. We didn't have these", he raised his fingers to girl, his claws slightly shining in the sun, "'cause there wasn't nothing violent or evil in us although your pure priestess thought otherwise. When she came here and **slaughtered **the families and burnt down their homes, we were all just too fucking confused to defend ourself properly."

Kagome swallowed hardly, something in Inuyasha's mad eyes making her heart ache. "Inuyasha..."

"Shut up", he turned around, slowly forcing his anger down. "You're all the same. Hell, my father and - my parents were the ones who thought you as a interesting creatures and wanted to communicate with you. I shouldn't do the same mistake."

_But it still doesn't change the fact that he saved me_, Kagome though but let it be. It was obvious that Inuyasha hated every human, including her.

"Kagome", a voice broke the silence between the five. Kagome felt a small relief that it was Shippo who was speaking to her, finally. "You reek."

"You can say that again", she answered softly, smelling her kimono. "But can't demons smell me? I bet every creature could smell this stink even from far away."

"That's because were're here", Sango explained. "We have a ability to hide a scent."

"Thanks", Kagome smiled.

"But I think you still need a bath", Miroku nodded his head and gave her an odd smile. "There's a lake close, maybe I could transfer you -"

"Wouldn't you like that, monk?" Sango placed herself between him and Kagome. "I'm taking Kagome there if that's alright, Inuyasha."

The white-haired demon didn't answer but stood on his spot, his back towards them. Sango rolled her eyes to his attitude then melded her ghost body to nearest tree, reaching for Kagome. "Come near this tree and be ready for another ride."

Kagome glanced quickly at Inuyasha, trying to make it imperceptibly though of course everyone except the specific demon noticed it, then pressed her back against the tree where Sango was. Soon both girls was gone.

Miroku shook his head slightly disapponted, "I would have loved to get to know Kagome-san better."

"What a fool", Shippo snorted then looked at Inuyasha. "And another fool there."

"Piss off", Inuyasha grunted.

"I know you like Kagome", Shippo slid to other tree which was closer to demon. "You saved her and she said that it wasn't the first time. Why would you do that if you hated her, huh huh?"

"I hate her like I hate all humans", he moved away when Shippo tried to look at his face.

"You talk to me and Sango though we're humans", Miroku joined to conversation.

"You're dead people, no offence."

Miroku wanted to say out loud the truth which was probably in Shippo and Sango's mind too; even Kagome's grandparents hadn't lived when Midoriko had attacked. But they all knew better than to say it. Every living dog demon was bitter and carried enormous anger in their hearts because of the memories from those times. It didn't matter to them was the human woman, man or child, they still wanted them all dead. They had tried to convince Inuyasha to believe that not every human was like Midoriko but that had earned them a strike from his claws which obviously went right trough their green bodies.

Inuyasha just stood quiet, though emotions inside him were nothing but silent. He tried to calm his still burning anger and too a confusing feeling towards the girl from the otherside. There was no getting around it; he had got that weird feeling from the first time he saw her face and now she had woken it up again by coming to his world. He wanted to hate her but although she was annoying and was slowly ruining his life, the feeling didn't die inside him but stayed strong through everything.

* * *

Kagome had finally got rid of her bloody and torn clothes even for a moment and was now enjoying a cool water on her body. She washed her hair carefully, arms, legs, nails and toes.

"If I miss something, it's bathing", Sango sighed. She let Kagome wash herself in peace but couldn't help but tell her melancholy desire to feel water again.

"I'm sorry", Kagome shot her a sympathetic look. "Are every dead souls connected to Asphodels?"

"No, just us three. I don't why", Sango frowned. "I... I can't remember how I died."

"That's a sad thought", Kagome said. "That you all died."

"Well, we're not actually", Sango smiled and made Kagome do the same too.

"I'm just glad here is normal lakes too", Kagome sighed, wetting her face. "Not any swamp where eyeball creatures are living."

"You've seen medamas then", Sango gave her a lopsided smile.

"Yes, I even fell in the swamp. Without Inuyasha I would have turned to one of them", Kagome's voice turned quiet then. "I've really caused lot of trouble to him."

"Don't care about what he said", Sango tried to comfort when she noticed the change in Kagome's mood. "He's like that to us too."

"I just wish that... we could become friends", she stood up from the lake, hoping that the sun would dry her soon. Sango looked at her and thought about Inuyasha. There was definitely something special in this girl, especially if Inuyasha had been ready to risk his reputation in his pack for her. With a knowing smile on her lips Sango moved closer to Kagome and made her brown eyes to look at her.

"I think that with a little time that can be possible."

* * *

**Yes, I'm here again. Be always ready for a long break after each chapter. Sorry but I can't help it, not with so much unfinished stories and my own life. But that doesn't mean I've given up on this. This would be the last story I would leave incomplete (not that I'm going to do that to any of my stories)**

**This chapter was bornt with these songs: Ich Bin Ich/Rosenstolz, #1 Crush Re-mastered/Garbage, All the Good in This Life/Garbage, Sayonara Solitaire/Saeko Chiba**

**And while watching this movie: ****Saw II**

**Thank you!**


	11. Blood for blood

"Hey", Kagome smiled softly as she knelt beside the demon. Inuyasha had been sitting on the ground for a while and stared at the colourful flowers. Miroku had said that Inuyasha's sulking was a prove that sometimes he knew how to be quiet. "Let's get going."

"Keh", he said once again but when he was about to stand up, Kagome grabbed the white lock of his hair and pulled him back on the ground. "Ow, wench-"

"I'm sorry, alright!" she snapped. "I'm sorry that I came here and drove you into bad situation with your family. It is not nice for me either to be this weak and in need for saving all the time. So I'm sorry..." Inuyasha continued his glaring though the smaller the girl's voice changed, the more difficult was to continue it. He turned his head away so that she wouldn't notice the changing in his expression. "And there is no need for you to help me anymore, Miroku and Sango are with me from now on and-"

"Stop it already. Your voice annoys me", Inuyasha grunted.

Kagome squeezed her kimono in frustration. It was still wet from washing and the blood had stained its light colour to reddish. _And I just wanted to be...! _"You rude-"

"I guess it can't be helped", he sighed, interrupting her again. Kagome blinked her eyes at his now more calmer voice and saw how he rubbed his face with his right hand. "The things I have to suffer..." He stood up fully this time and looked at Kagome. "I intended to help you to get back home. So that's what I'm going to do till you're there." His face was straight and Kagome felt herself recall the day from behind ten years. She remembered his adamant yellow eyes.

Kagome stood up too and tilted her head slightly. It was clear that he couldn't stand her and wanted her quickly out of his world. But was she the only one who had this strong feeling?

_Like connection._

"You two", Sango's voice made them both flinch and break the staring. "Should we go?"

"Alright", Kagome said breezily as Inuyasha was glancing elsewhere. _I didn't even hear her come. Damn this girl for fucking up my senses!_

Miroku and Shippo's figures appeared from two other trees. "And I thought we were in hurry."

"We are, ghosts", Inuyasha barked. "Let's get the wench home."

* * *

As Inutaisho landed on the ground, he tore wad of grass into his hand and sniffed. It smelled of familiar creatures which they hunted almost everyday, and of regular soil and plants. The girl had disappeared without leaving any hints. She clearly had strange powers which where unknown to him. It brought the horrors from his past back to his mind, events that had happened last time when he had been so ignorant. He felt uneasy.

_He ran as fast as he could without caring the scratches which tree's branches cut as he moved fast in thick grove. Humans had taken over the eastern side of the forest, if he could get his mate and son to the north's hideout with others then surely humans would get tired of searching and leave. He followed the familiar scent of his mate and panic inside him rose higher when he recognized the scent of priestess as well._

_The place where the scents came from was a small ledge close to river and Inutaisho wasn't prepared to the vision. A body was lying on the grass, black hair mixed with blood. He recognized the thick kimono which the woman was wearing._

_"Izayoi", Inutaisho gasped and at the same moment he noticed the priestess and her raised bow, pointing towards his small son. Inuyasha had tears on his cheeks and he was whimpering from fear, backed against the tree. "Midoriko!" __The priestess heard her name and turned her hard face towards him. She had splotch of blood on her cheek. She didn't lower her bow. __"**Don't you dare hurt him! **Leave my son alone!" Inutaisho took a step towards her, trying to ignore his dead mate on the ground. Saving Inuyasha was primal issue, after that he could mourn._

_"Dad..." Inuyasha whispered and drew the priestess attention back to himself. Just when Inutaisho was about to leap towards them, Midoriko shot the arrow. _

_"NOOO!" Inutaisho yelled as Inuyasha screamed. Then in front of Inutaisho's eyes Inuyasha disappeared and the arrow hit only tree's bark. "Inuyasha!"_

_"What-" he heard Midoriko say as he fell onto his knees. Was Inuyasha saved?_

_He finally let himself gaze at the body. Izayoi's face was against the ground and gently he turned her over and into his arms. __"Izayoi..." he spoke to her open eyes and parted mouth. His heart broke as he saw the scared expression she still had. "Say something, dearest. Anything. I will protect you now..."_

_But he knew that his hope was in vain. He hadn't protected her properly, he had been too weak and now she was gone, maybe his son was too. He heard steps coming towards him and he raised his eyes to see Midoriko's face above him._

_"Why?" his voice was begging. Then he noticed the change in priestess eyes. They had always been cold, cold and without acception._ _But now he saw pride, arrogance. _

_She was proud of what she had done to his love. His soul was dead and she was glad. _

_A new feeling washed over him. Hate. After that everything happened fast._

_From somewhere he got strenght to let go of his mate and Midoriko was quick to realize his intentions. She raised her bow once again and shot but Inutaisho moved with impossible speed behind her. He had no weapons like she had, he didn't know what to do but his instincts were shouting for him to kill her, protect at least himself and his disappeared son. He jumped on her back and sank his fangs into her neck. Midoriko screamed as his body weight pushed her down on the ground. He kept his hold like a thistle, tasted her blood in his mouth. _

_Nothing could have pleased him more. Blood for blood._

_She squirmed, fought with everything she had but he was too strong and tables had turned. With desperation, she pushed her arrow inside his skin to his rib but adrenalin in Inutaisho's veins won the pain and he bite every blood and flesh he could get into his mouth as he tore his mouth off of her neck. Midoriko gasped without breathe, her white shirt now red from blood and her throat open. Inutaisho snarled loudly and stood up, pulling her with him from the long hair. __"Ah- A-" Midoriko whimpered in pain, her hands limp against her sides. Inutaisho slammed her against the same tree where his son had been, opressed and crying. His hand closed around her bloody neck._

_"Where's Inuyasha?" he hissed. "Tell me and I'll kill you without too much torture."_

_"Damn you... de-demon", Midoriko let out the hateful words from her mouth and trail of blood with it._

_"Look at her, you bitch! **Look at her!**" he shouted, pointing at his mate. "You came here, into my home, killed half of my pack and you did this to the mother of my child!"_

_He tried his best not to cry and squeezed her throat more tightly. "Tell me, which one of us is the demon?"_

_"I regret nothing", Miroriko's shaking voice whispered as she stared to Inutaisho's yellow eyes. "This was to protect my people, our village. This was God's will! We priestesses eliminate everything evil, that is why God gave us a life."_

_She coughed again, her whole body trembling from the great lost of blood. But her eyes stayed open. "I wish you will burn alive, devil's server."_

_Inutaisho dropped her now dead body on the ground and tried to even his breathing. Too much had happened in too short time. __"Have fun with your god in hell, bitch", he whispered and wiped off the moisture from his eyes. _

_"Inuyasha", h__e turned around. "I have to find him."_

He could still remember the loss and sadness of that day, how relieved he had been when Inuyasha had been found alive, clueless of what had happened too. It had been hard for him and his heart still ached when his little boy had been forced to grow without mother, like his older son, Sesshomaru.

_I am intended to live alone_, he had thought as along the years his hate grew more and more. Soon nothing was enough; his pack followed his example and when his fury was on its limit, he sent the most willings to the other side, to have their fun and make sure that no living human would ever forget what they had done. _And that is the way how our life has to stay_, he thought as he walked forward. _How that girl disappeared... it might be the key. Excactly same trick happened with Midoriko so there must be connection with them. Maybe girl is her relative. _

"Father."

Inutaisho turned around. He had been so deep in thoughts that he hadn't heard Sesshomaru's coming.

"I assume you didn't find her."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Others are looking for her from the deepest places in the forest but I have not heard any sign that she would have been found."

"We will find her and if we don't", he paused till a dire smile lifted the corners of his mouth upwards. "If we can't celebrate on her flesh then I guess we have to return the favor she have done to us and go to visit in her home."

* * *

AN:

I am terribly sorry for the long wait! Believe me, I didn't mean it to take this long.

This chapter was mostly about Inutaisho and his past but at least it gives you few reasons for the demon's hatred towards humans. Thanks for reading & comments are welcomed!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha


	12. Chapter 12 Preview

I'll try to update as soon as I can. Till then here's something.

**Chapter 12 Preview:**

* * *

Exhaustion and worry took control of Kikyou and she supported herself with a tree before slowly collapsing on the ground and burying her face into her palms. She wasn't a woman who gave up and stopped when everything seemed hopeless, she was nevertheless the village's priestess. Still, the fear of losing Kagome made her almost feeble and she knew that she needed this small moment to gather her strenght and calm down, or else she would break down completely in front of the others.

Kagome had to be unharmed. There simply couldn't be any other option - Kikyou repeated those words in her head over and over again till she completely believed in them again. Her sister wasn't very experienced but she was strong and could surprise people when it was came to surviving.

Kikyo sighed softly before standing up and once again continued looking for Kagome in the thick forest. She didn't have time to walk very far though until she had to stop and narrow her eyes at what she was seeing. A woman was coming towards her. Her kimono seemed dirty but Kikyou didn't pay much of attention to it - the woman was her sister, her black hair swinging in the wind.

"Kagome?" Kikyou called out and started walking again, this time faster. She could now see her face more clearly. _Unharmed. _"Kagome!"

"Onee-san!" Kagome yelled back but when they met the relieved smile disappeared from her face as Kikyou grabbed her shoulders and shook her.

"You fool! You brat! Where have you been?! Do you have any idea how worried... " but she had to stop and bite her lip so that she wouldn't start to cry. "Kagome."

"Onee-san. I am so sorry," Kagome said softly and wrapped her hands around Kikyou's neck, giving her a long hug. "You don't know how good it feels to see you," she whispered into her ear. Kikyou only stayed quiet and squeezed her sister's kimono. She just couldn't answer nor be mad at her at that moment.


End file.
